Looking for a high-quality food supply for your new pet chinchilla? Or, you are thinking about switching to a new food brand? Either way, when it comes to chinchilla food, you should get the absolute best.
Chinchillas have a pretty sensitive digestive system. So, you need to make sure you are getting something safe for the chinchilla. Something to maintain a healthy digestive system and dental health.
Here is a list of the 5 best chinchilla food. I included both hay and pellet-based food, every item is safe for chinchillas, void of any toxic chemicals. Make sure to read the buying guide at the end.
Best Chinchilla Food Comparison Table
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Best Overall
Small Pet Select Timothy Hay Pet Food
Highlighted Features
- All Ages
- Timothy Hay
- Second Cutting
- Dental Health
- Supports Digestion
When it comes to high-quality small animals food, I always go with Small Pet Select first. A brand that offers multiple top-notch food packages.
Here, I’m listing the Second Cutting Timothy Hay. The best in my opinion, for all ages. You can find packages with high fiber, for animals that need to lose weight, food for picky eaters, food for stronger bones, etc… Make sure to take a look.
This is made out of hand-selected second-cutting Timothy hay. It has the right ratio of leaf, seed-head, and stem. Really yummy for the chinchilla, suitable for rabbits as well, and guinea pigs as well.
The hay has a nice and attractive smell. Small animals love it, it’s tasty for them too. The food contains the right ratio of proteins, fats, and fiber, suitable to keep an adult chinchilla healthy. It has everything a chinchilla needs for a food supply.
It maintains dental health and supports good digestion. The daily intake of this hay will help prevent any digestive issues. It will also satisfy those chewing instincts while keeping the teeth healthy.
They offer a lot of options for stocking up. You can find a 12 ounces pack, 2 pounds, 10 pounds, 12 pounds, 20, 25, and 50 pounds pack. If you just want to try it, get the 12 ounces pack. If you like it, feel free to stock up.
There you go, the best item on this list. You can’t go wrong with Small Pet Select Timothy Hay. Check out the other food packages they offer, especially if you need a food supply with a specific ratio of proteins, fats, and fiber.
Pros
- Suitable for all ages.
- High-quality Second Cutting Timothy Hay.
- Supports dental health and digestion.
Cons
- More expensive than other brands.
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Best Budget
Kaytee Timothy Complete Chinchilla Food
Highlighted Features
- Timothy Hay Pellets
- Probiotics & Prebiotics
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Dental Health
- All-In-One Diet
Now, a budget option. I know that some pet owners can’t really go for expensive brands. But that doesn’t mean they should settle for a food supply of average quality. Fortunately, Kaytee offers something high-quality but affordable. Check out this Timothy Hay Pellets chinchilla food.
This chinchilla food is in a pellet form, not hay. This is fine for chinchillas as long the pellets are hay-based. This Kaytee product is made out of high-quality Timothy hay. Optimal nutrition that has everything your chinchilla needs.
High in fiber, supports good digestion. It’s developed by a nutritional expert so there are some extras like probiotics and prebiotics to help the digestive system. It doesn’t contain any added sugars. There are vitamins and minerals added though. Such as chelated minerals, Omega-3, antioxidants, and amino acids.
Everything the food contains helps with the digestive system and maintaining dental health. Your chinchilla will love this type of food. This is an all-in-one diet, no need to worry about adding something to the food supply.
If you are on a budget, I highly recommend this. A chinchilla food supply of good quality but at a reasonable price. More so, it contains everything the chinchilla needs in its diet.
Pros
- All-in-one diet.
- Maintains dental health and supports digestion.
- Reasonable price.
Cons
- Only 3-pound packs.
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Best Runner-Up
Oxbow Animal Health Western Timothy Hay
Highlighted Features
- All Natural Hay
- Healthy Digestive System
- Dental Health
- Hand-Sorted
- USA-Grown
Another top-notch brand besides Small Pet Select is Oxbow. This brand also makes one of the best chinchilla food. So, for the second-best on the list, I’m listing the Oxbow Animal Health Western Timothy Hay. I’m sure you will like it.
Again, Timothy hay, it’s best for the digestive system of small animals. This is grown and harvested fresh in the USA, straight out of Oxbow farms. Hand-sorted and hand-selected, all-natural chinchilla food.
It’s high in fiber and has the right ratio of proteins and fats. Contains everything for the essential diet of a chinchilla and more. It supports dental health and maintains a healthy digestive system. It also helps with preventing picky eating.
This product is highly recommended by veterinarians. It’s specifically made to meet the nutritional requirements of small animals. There are feeding instructions on the pack as well, to help beginners with feeding their pets.
There are 4 options to stock up. There is a 15 ounces pack if you just want to try the food first. Then, you have the bigger packs, 2.5-pound, 5.62-pound, and 9-pound packs.
If you didn’t like our best overall, you will definitely like this. If you want the absolute best food supply for your small animal, this is one of two options.
Pros
- All-natural, hand-sorted, and hand-selected hay.
- Essential diet supports digestion and dental health.
- No additives.
Cons
- A bit expensive.
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Best Chinchilla Food Pellets
Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla Food
Highlighted Features
- Pellet Form
- All Natural
- Vitamins & Minerals
- Antioxidants
- Prebiotics
Some pet owners and small animals prefer pelleted hay instead of fresh hay. Others like to mix up, feed both fresh and pelleted hay. If you prefer pellets as well, here are the best chinchilla food pellets, Oxbow Essentials Chinchilla Food.
These pellets are made out of Alfalfa hay which is grown in the USA. The hay provides a balanced digestive system. Then, antioxidants, prebiotics, chelated minerals are added. There are no refined sugars and artificial ingredients, no seeds as well.
Oxbow Essentials pellets are meant to bring every nutrition need for a chinchilla in a quick, uniform way. Unlike fresh hay, you serve the pellets in a meal size of 1/8 or 1/4 cup per chinchilla. Nutritionists and veterinarians guided formula.
Oxbow also recommends serving fresh hay as an occasional treat. There are feeding instructions and you should stick to the guidelines for optimal chinchilla health. This product is for all ages.
If hay is too tiresome to store, and you want compressed pellets, you should definitely take a look at this product. Definitely the best chinchilla food pellets out there.
Pros
- Meats every dietary need for small animals.
- Easy to store
- Antioxidants and prebiotics to maintain healthy digestion.
Cons
- Needs to be combined with fresh hay as a treat.
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Best Chinchilla Treats Food
William Craft Apple Sticks For Chinchilla
Highlighted Features
- 100% Organic
- Apple Wood
- Dental Health
- Harmless
- Natural Vitamin C
For the last item on this list, I wanted to offer a food supplement, chinchilla treats. So, I’m going with my favorite, William Craft Apple Sticks. These treats will satisfy those chewing instincts small animals have, suitable for most small animal pets.
The William Craft treats are made out of 100% organic applewood. The package contains applewood sticks suitable for chinchillas and other small animals. Organic product with a sweet taste does not contain any pesticides, completely harmless. A natural source of vitamin C.
This will improve the dental health of the chinchilla. Most importantly, it will make sure that the teeth of the chinchilla grow better. It improves teeth growth. Applewood treats are the best way to satisfy those chewing habits.
A hand-made product, the size of the treats is not guaranteed. Very easy to save and store, just keep out of moist places. Safe for use as chinchilla treats, the quality of the branches is guaranteed.
So, that was the last item on this list. Aside from picking chinchilla food, make sure to get treats for your pet. Teeth growth is very important. Applewood treats will grind your pet’s teeth and make sure they don’t grow too much. Applewood from William Craft is the best, it comes highly recommended.
Pros
- Organic applewood branches.
- Improves dental health.
- Safe and harmless.
Cons
- The sticks go bad quickly if not stored properly.
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Best Chinchilla Food – Buying Guide
If you don’t know anything about chinchilla food, it’s best to research before buying something. To save you the trouble, I made a buying guide. I’ll cover the important things to consider when buying chinchilla food.
All Natural
The first thing to consider is whether the food comes from a natural source. Because chinchillas have such a sensitive digestive system, you need to make sure there are no additives or preservatives.
Whatever you are buying, just make sure that the packaged hay is 100% natural. I recommend Timothy hay and Alfalfa hay. Adding vitamins, prebiotics, etc… is fine as long there are no additives to the actual hay. As I said, chinchillas are sensitive and any additives may be harmful.
Nutritional Value
Chinchillas need a certain intake of fats, proteins, and fiber. The food supply you are offering should be enough to satisfy all dietary needs. So, my advice is to get chinchilla food that has all the nutritional requirements the pet needs. Otherwise, you will have to add something to the food supply.
Remember, you should take into account any health issues the chinchilla has. The food for picky eaters, overweight chinchillas, and chinchillas with weak bones have a specific ratio of fats, proteins, and fiber.
Digestion & Dental Health
It’s also important for the food to regulate the digestive system of the chinchilla. The food should not cause any digestion difficulties. In fact, it should make for a balanced digestive system. So, make sure you get hay that is optimal for digestion.
Dental health is another thing to keep in mind. I advise picking something with a formula crafted by veterinarians and nutritionists.
Minerals & Prebiotics
Although you should go for an all-natural food supply, you should also look for something that contains something extra. Hay doesn’t contain some minerals and vitamins that can help maintain a healthy digestive system. So, we have to add them to the formula, despite the hay, of course.
Don’t let these additions to the hay scare you off. They are necessary, in fact, many nutritionists recommend using chinchilla food that has added minerals and vitamins. You should look for chinchilla food that has chelated minerals, Omega-3, and prebiotics. Antioxidants are welcome as well. These things improve the nutritional value so much.
Fresh Hay Vs Pellets
Now, this is completely optional. Some pet owners prefer fresh hay, some prefer pellets. You should figure out what you feel comfortable with and what your chinchilla likes.
Fresh hay should always be available in the chinchilla cage. Pelleted hay, on the other hand, is served in specific sizes, once or twice a day. Some people mix between fresh hay and pellets. Either way, it’s fine.
The pellets are just easier to store, and they have a uniform shape. With fresh hay, you don’t have to think about the meal every day but it’s harder to store.
Storage
Chinchilla food is something you stock up on. Every pet owner does it. It doesn’t make sense for you to buy food every week. So, it’s best to stock up.
The thing is, some pet owners buy something too large and because they can’t store it properly, the hay goes bad. Don’t make that mistake, stock up but make sure you can store the hay properly. If you don’t have enough storage space, go for pelleted hay.
Related Questions And Other FAQs
What Kind Of Food Do Chinchillas Eat
Chinchillas feed mostly on hay, in fact, 80% of their diet is fresh hay. Natural, additive-free Timothy hay or Alfalfa is preferred for optimal digestion. Chinchillas should have fresh hay available 24 hours.
What Soft Foods Can Chinchillas
Chinchillas can eat soft vegetables like kale, parsley, dandelion, and carrots. They are able to eat apples, bananas, and pears. You have to make sure that no harmful pesticides were used for growing the vegetables and fruits.
What Are Good Chinchilla Snacks
There are plenty of treats options you can feed your chinchilla, in the right sizes, of course. You can feed the chinchilla dried fruits, parsley, kale, apples, bananas. The best and safest snack is applewood sticks.
